Azarenka 2014 Is Different From The 2013 Azarenka

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 20th January 2014

Azarenka 2014 Is Different From The 2013 Azarenka

epa04031748 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in action during her match against Sloane Stephens of the US in round four of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2014. EPA/DAVID CROSLING AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Victoria Azarenka may have looked fit and commanding as she took another step closer to a third successive Australian Open title but the world no.2 admitted she was exhausted and in need of new motivation for tennis at the end of last year.

Azarenka, an impressive 6-3 6-2 winner over Sloane Stephens to move into the quarterfinals after ending up finalist to Serena Williams in her first tournament of the year at Brisbane, has looked a far different player from the one who finished 2013.

She lost two of her three group matches at last October’s WTA Championships in Istanbul, the second defeat coming in a lackluster performance against Li Na in a match-up that could well be repeated in this year’s Australian Open final.

Azarenka admitted she was burned from tennis and said: “I was tired. I was unmotivated really because I didn’t manage my schedule that well, especially after the US Open. I didn’t realize how much it took out of me.

“I went to play some tournaments maybe I shouldn’t have, but I wanted to. I wanted to play. So I actually take that as a very positive thing, that I learned how to be in that situation and how to come out of it.”

Azarenka fell ill to a virus in Tokyo, running a high temperature, while progressing to the last eight of the Toray Pan Pacific Open. At one stage she received medical attention at courtside including a blood pressure test. However she still opted to carry on playing the following week in Beijing before totally recovering, and suffered the consequences.

During the off-season she took time to ponder on her mistakes and continued: “Actually, after Istanbul I wasn’t really happy with how I finished the year. This year, next year, I’ll try to manage the schedule a little bit better. But as long as I want to be on the court, I’m feeling pretty good with my game.”

Azarenka maintained her close season training didn’t involve too much time on the practice court with racket in hand but it didn’t take her long to re-charge.

She revealed: “I don’t play tennis much during my off‑season, I didn’t play for a month and a half but I only took about five days off. I can’t sit still. I need to keep moving.

“I kept active. I tried to work on my fitness. I did a lot of other things; I paddle boarded, I danced, I did ballet. As long as I was active, it was good for me.”

Topics: 10sballs, Australian Open, Li Na, Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka, Wta